Rowley was emaciated and in poor health when he arrived at the colony. Here he’s seen early on the road to recovery.

The life of Rowley

How an injured dog found its way into the heart of a Hutterite colony

You can’t change a dog’s past,but you can rewrite the future.– Agnes Carass Looking out any window of our house, I’m bound to see one or more of the dogs that live at our Hutterite community in southern Manitoba. The dogs are all shapes, sizes, colours and breeds: collie, terrier, poodle, German shepherd and American

The Giesbrechts’ Chesapeake Bay retriever Chaska loves to dig her own garden carrots.

Family puts heart and homegrown produce into pet food business

Faces of Ag: Roger and Theresa Giesbrecht put years of livestock nutritional knowledge into formulating dog kibble and treats

Poncho was a “neighbourhood combo” mutt with short legs and a long body. Legs churning, he’d come within inches of the three-wheeler tire time and time again as the grandkids puttered around the farmyard. Poncho is long in the “happy hunting grounds” but he lives on in every bag of kibble that bears his name.


Pets can teach us some health lessons, like not avoiding exercise because it’s too cold.

A dog’s life

We can all learn some health lessons from humanity’s best friend

Jake, do not hurt Abby,” I said to one of our dachshunds. Jake and I locked eyes. I think he winked at me. He had most of Abby’s head in his mouth, like a lion with its prey. By the way, Abby is a year-old dachshund pup we nicknamed “Miss Abby the Troublemaker.” “She was

Slugs and snails pose a risk
to pets. Ask about lungworm in
your area.

How to protect your pets from lungworms

They can live in the lungs and airways of dogs and cats causing serious problems

Part of a complete pet health strategy includes protecting pets from the parasites in your area, and treating and preventing intestinal worms and heartworm is part of regular care. With changes in climate, wildlife ranges and travel patterns, we can see new parasites show up that haven’t been a concern for pets in the past. Lungworms are some

Vaccinations are an important part of keeping your pet healthy.

Be sure to vaccinate your pet

Vaccinations are a significant part of health care


Vaccinations are a very significant part of your pet’s health care as they protect dogs and cats from infectious agents that can cause serious illness or may be fatal. As in humans, vaccines have had a major impact in decreasing infectious diseases and are very safe. Nowadays we don’t see many of these diseases —


Steve Diamond and his dogs were at the Portage Potato Festival this summer.

Diamond Disc Dogs

Team of trained dogs performs throughout Manitoba

Diamond Disc Dogs, headed by Steve Diamond, is a multi-dog trick act known as the “best trick dog show in Manitoba.” The team of highly trained dogs — mostly border collies — has been performing throughout the province for almost 10 years, and Diamond is now beginning to expand Canada-wide, catering to events in small

Kelsie the beagle is in training to become one of New Zealand’s front-line defenders in the battle for biosecurity.

New Zealand’s constant battle with invasive species

Agriculture is considered New Zealand’s primary industry, but the incursion of disease and pests 
poses a constant threat to farmers on the island nation

Biosecurity doesn’t get much cuter than this, and the Kiwis know it. Floppy-eared beagles, with patches of tan and white fur, greet visitors and returning locals alike as they disembark at any of New Zealand’s international airports. But the friendly and curious canines play a vital role in New Zealand’s intense network of biosecurity measures,

Cst. Kevin Challoner and Hector (l to r) with Jackson Antoniw and S/Sgt. Matt Lavallee at Rossburn Elementary School on June 18, 2015.

RCMP service dog visits Rossburn boy who named him

It became possible after the dog was stationed in the same province

Jackson Antoniw is a five-year-old boy from Rossburn who came up with a great name, and on April 8, 2015, he was announced a winner in the RCMP’s national Name the Puppy Contest. Jackson suggested the name Hector for one of the Potential Police Service Dogs (PPSD) born at the Police Dog Service Training Centre


Prairie dog families know how to get along

If the relatives have left, then it’s time for you to leave too — if you are a prairie dog, that is. A study published in Science by behavioural ecologist John Hoogland of the University of Maryland says for most animals, individuals leave a territory to avoid competition with nearby relatives, such as mother or

Dogs or donkeys?

Two farms side by side in the coyote-infested Interlake credit 
guardian animals for eliminating losses due to predation

Sheep producers Lorna Wall and Rozanne Nevakshonoff are Interlake neighbours who disagree over whether guardian dogs or donkeys do the best job of protecting their herds. But they do agree on one thing: guardian animals are their best defence against the coyotes, wolves, bears and cougars roaming their sparsely populated farms near Poplarfield. Both say